survey to high-value shoppers. Consumer insights will
be collected in real time, compiled and published in a
report, which participating retailers will receive along
with samples of products that would be a good match
for their stores.

Visit gmdc.org/trendsetter-panel for more
information.

New Study Examines Links BetweenBMI, Consumer Behavior and Attitudes

Want to learn why shoppers make purchasing
decisions? A new study from Hudson Institute’s Food Policy Center that o;ers insights into
consumers’ attitudes toward eating, healthy living habits, mindsets and food buying behavior
across four body mass index ;BMI; cohorts is a good
place to start.

Major ;indings of “Why They Buy: Fighting
Obesity Through Consumer Marketing Research,”

authored by Hank Cardello of the Food Policy Center,
include:

• Attitudes among those who have obesity are not aligned
with healthier eating; ;;; say they “know they should
eat healthier but don’t.”

• Taste is king for the obesity segment. Only a third of the
cohort with obesity rated “health and nutrition” as a top
three attribute when making food purchasing decisions.

• Those with obesity are interested in smaller portions;
;;; of the obesity segment indicated they would
continue to consume soda and snacks, but they want
smaller portions.

• Package nutrition labels are not as e;ective with those
who have obesity.

•“Stealth” changes to food products and packaging
will be more e;ective in changing eating habits of the
obesity cohort.

A full copy of the report can be found at hudson.org.

‘Palm Done Right’ Takes Flight

In an e;ort to help change the conversation about palm
oil, the educational platform Palm Done Right is launching the ;rst annual National Palm Done Right Month in
September ;;;; to build awareness about responsibly
sourced palm oil.

Participating retailers will feature in-store and online
promotions of products that use Palm Done Right sustainable palm oil and will have access to training materials and marketing tools, including brochures and
shelf-talkers.

“Retailers play a key role in the natural products indus-try as gatekeepers to a pathway for their customers whowant to improve their lives through healthy food and life-style choices and gain a better understanding of whereSampler, our members will be able to give consumersthe power to de;ne what will be in the stores they visit.”Leveraging the Sampler platform, brands will be ableto submit their trending products for review by high-value consumers who shop in stores such as Kroger,Dollar General, Albertsons, H;E;B and more. In turn,the banners’ retail buyers will be able to gain insightson products that are resonating with consumers whileproviding market feedback about the new products.

To begin, GMDC members will identify trends
they’re looking for, and brands will submit products
that mesh with those trends. Sampler will then distribute trial-sized products and a digital consumer feedback

60%

Amount of obesity
segment that said
they would continue
to consume soda
and snacks, but want
smaller portions